The Adelaide Oval redevelopment.

In this section we chat about the Adelaide Oval, talk about the Grandstands old and new etc.

What a mess.

Construction of the Adelaide Oval Chappell Stands

In August 2003, Built Environs completed construction of the Chappell Stands and associated infrastructure at Adelaide Oval, North Adelaide, SA, for the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA).

The redevelopment had to respect the heritage and aesthetic charm of the Oval and required a highly sensitive management of a range of stakeholder concerns.

The four structures added 5,500 seats under two large covered stands constructed from precast column beams and plats with a tensioned steel roof structure, including 36 m-long and 8 m-high Teflon-coated fibreglass fabric roofs. The project marked the first use of this product on such a scale in Australia.

The project also involved the relocation of the Victor Richardson Gatehouse. The historic building and gates were sensitively dismantled, moved, and re-erected within a new sandblasted and honed colonnade of precast columns and a capping beam.

The Chappell Stands were constructed within an extremely tight six month timeframe so that the new facility would be ready for the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

Which brings us to their removal

Adelaide United CEO Glenn Elliott has answered questions regarding the club’s request to utilise the sails/covers at Adelaide Oval Chappell Stands, which are being dismantled as part of the ground’s redevelopment.

TV Reporters: How disappointing was it to be given the brush off in terms of trying to retrieve the sales from the Chappell Stands?
Glenn Elliott (GE): It is disappointing because Hindmarsh is a north south facing complex and shade on the eastern grandstand would have been fantastic, especially for what is now a summer sport in the A-League.

Obviously Rob Gerard issued a very strongly worded letter to Pat Conlon – do you sum it up as just bloody mindedness or wastage or haste to get the Adelaide Oval redevelopment underway?
GE: I guess that people are going to be in a better position to judge that than me, but the origin of it came up in a February board meeting here where Rob Gerard had met at the cricket with Ian McLachlan and Pat Conlon and made a suggestion that the sails would look terrific down here at Hindmarsh and what a terrible waste it would be if they weren’t utilized. But they were under SACA’s ownership and SACA have said it would hold the project up too much.

So you have missed the window if it was open at all?

GE: Well it sounds very much like it now, the salvage company have certainly moved as I understand it to just tear them down.

When you see or hear that the sails are basically just lying ripped to shreds under a pile of rubble, does that make it even worse that they’re being used for nothing?

GE: It’s beyond us to comment on that other then the fact we registered interest following advice from the two relevant people and now that opportunity has passed.

Did you have expert engineering advice that the sails could have worked at Hindmarsh Stadium? What would it have meant to Hindmarsh Stadium to have the sails there?

GE: It would have been fantastic! Hindmarsh is a wonderful stadium, especially during summer. If we had those sails pitched on the eastern side of the ground, not only would it have made Hindmarsh a far more appealing place, practically it would have been fantastic. But you’re right about engineering works and things like that, it may well have taken some time but it’s too late now.

When you see the amount of tax payer money the government is putting into basically improving cricket and football at Adelaide Oval and you’re being charged a fortune to operate here and you’re not even able to use a second hand tarpaulin, are you starting to feel a bit like the poor cousin of South Australian sport?

GE: It’s interesting to see the mix of things over the journey now, but we would love to see Hindmarsh as a state of the art facility. I mean it is the home of football or soccer in this State and it really has its spiritual home here and we would like to see the place improve, not only for players but supporters. This is a massive participation sport and everyone who is in South Australia associated with the sport regards Hindmarsh as home.

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The only thing they haavnt renovated/touched latly is the scoreboard

The scoreboard is "untouchable".

Although having said that, there are some problems with the footings upon which it sits. There could be some remedial work on them, but nobody will probably notice that in the grand scheme of things.

Ground Shape

The eastern side of the ground in accommodating the new stand there is pushed out 24m from what was its previous position (Chappell stands).

That is not only to accommodate the new stand but to make the eastern side of the ground's shape mirror the western side that was altered when the Western Stand was erected.

This will give the Adelaide Oval a more traditional elliptical shape.
This is probably more an issue for cricket than footy given the very long tradition of long on drives and short pulls to square leg.

The "Zacs" over mid-wicket will now be proper hits.
Maybe Hooksy's average would have taken a small dive southward if he were to play in 2014!

The length of the ground after redevelopment will be much the same as previously and of course the western side will stay as is.

At this stage it is a bit unclear whether a greater camber from the middle to the edges will be featured similar to AAMI. Adelaide Oval is a much "flatter" surface. Therefore, drainage works will be very important if it is to remain reasonably flat.

I suppose it has withstood for many many years, but I guess many of us can probably remember the visible puddles in times of heavy rain.

What would be nice to preserve something of the Oval's history and tradition, is preservation of a picket fence in the style of the current one.
Not that you see a lot of it with sponsors hoarding on it, but it would be nice all the same.

I can't see why they can't keep the picket fence, and TBH would hate for the fence to be replaced by the stock standard cyclone wire fence.

Also, there's been alot more work done since those pics. The seating down the northern end has been installed (the same greeny-blue colour as in the Western Stand - I suspect this will be the generic colour for the seating).

Who's TBH?

TBH = to be honest

The new mound has been officially unveiled:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/adelaide-ovals-new-look-mound-unveiled/story-e6frea83-1226490815017

The article also states that capacity will be 20 000 for this season, 35 000 next season, and the eventual capacity will be 53 500

Brucetiki wrote:TBH = to be honest

Oh!

A look at the new northern end of the ground

You can have the full Corporate experience for a cool $125,000.
•32 Corporate Suites available, each seating 18 guests.
•22 located in the Eastern Stand and
•10 in the Southern Stand.
•3 car parks per corporate suite under the Eastern Stand

Access to all SACA games including:
•Test series cricket
•Commonwealth Bank One Day International
•KFC T20 International
•KFC T20 Big Bash League
•Bupa Sheffield Shield
•Ryobi One Day Cup

Cricket matches not included:
•ICC Cricket World Cup 2015*

Access to AFL matches

•All Adelaide Football Club minor round home matches
•All Port Adelaide Football Club minor round home matches
Access to SANFL matches

•All SANFL Finals
Other Football matches:

•Priority to purchase AFL Finals tickets for matches played at Adelaide Oval*
•Priority to purchase NAB Cup tickets for matches played at Adelaide Oval or AAMI Stadium*

Or for $4250 you can have;
One of a 1,000 annual Stadium Club memberships available for corporate or individual memberships. Multiple dining options, from the 5-star SA Wine Room restaurant to the casual Lawn Bar and Sports Bar, means there will be something on offer for all tastes and budgets. What’s more, with every four Stadium Club memberships purchased, one free car park will be allocated – an additional comfort when entertaining clients.

Now that is some serious coinage for your footy/cricket fix.

Now to the playing surface.

Unusually for grounds like this it falls about 1.5m from the NW corner to the SE corner.

Apparently a flat surface will not allow full drainage, even with the advances in technology. So I believe we are likely to see at least some form of camber on the ground. However, possibly not as much as AAMI.

How noticeable these elevation changes will be is hard to say.
With the other perimeter works it may not be so apparent.

No2 ground also is to get the full treatment in the same manner.

Laying grass has never been so sophisitcated.

Chambo, I know you're very interested in this topic.

You might enjoy an article I wrote a couple of years ago about my love of the Oval.



I used to go to the Adelaide Oval a lot as a kid. A bus to town, which meant Victoria Square in those days, walk to the Oval past the old City Baths, across the bridge and through the gate into the greatest cricket ground in the world.

If it wasn’t football season, I’d be there to watch Shield Cricket, but more often Adelaide CC playing on the No 2 ground. I’d help with the scoreboard, chat with the players, sometimes go to net practice and I’d also learnt that if you stood on the top row seat backing in the main Oval stand, you could also see part of what was happening at the No 2 ground. I’d always hope to get a ride back into town, but more often than not it would be the walk back, thinking about what I’d seen that day, but always revelling in the atmosphere of that great ground.

In footy season, I’d tag along with my father and an uncle as they managed to get from the West End of the city to the Oval, stopping of course at a pub on the way and then making a difficult transfer between the Morphett Street bridges across the rail line to the Oval. I used to think there should be an easier way.

However, when you arrive, even if it’s a Reserves match, there’s nothing like the anticipation of what you’ll see when you first walk in to a sports ground and that feeling multiplies when it’s the Adelaide Oval. Seagulls and the old scoreboard, usually telling me that West’s Reserves, well it used to be Senior Colts then, were on their way to another loss. The league team was different. They used to win most of the time, unless we were playing the hated Port. Times have changed.

The way back on match day was different, in that we’d walk back along King William Street for a more prolonged stay at a different pub. I’d be outside, of course, times were different then, but I knew we’d be on our way again soon after 6.

The first time I stepped on to the Oval officially was as part of one of the South Adelaide zone junior teams. Don’t let that fool you, I was usually the one who just missed out on playing. And rightly so, on ability. I did get in the photo in the paper, though. “Look, that’s my left boot”.

At that time, although I never missed a West match if I could help it, cricket was my greatest love. Playing on that No 2 ground brought back nice memories and I’d be at the Oval whenever I could. Grand Finals, Shield matches, District games, it was always with a silent thanks for such a wonderful environment.

Time moved on and I moved on to play Turf cricket for many, many years, always still following the Bloods though, through the ups and downs, with lots of downs, so my visits to the Oval became fewer.

It was announced that they would build what became the Chappell Stands. Disgraceful, I thought, it will ruin the view. They announced they would have lights, retractable so as to not ruin the ambience. Disgraceful, I thought, another step on the road to ruining MY Oval. My brother calmed me by saying they would also build retractable grandstands.

Time moved on more and they announced they would knock down the southern stand and build a new stand, named after Don Bradman. Disgraceful, I thought, it would break up the feeling of the ground and ruin it. By that time, my next attendance was special for me; to be honoured with several other cricket lovers by being presented with a special award for our services to cricket by Ian McLachlan during a one-day International. It had been a long time since I stood on the top row seats to see the No 2 ground.

So they announced that stand would be pulled down and a new stand complex built. By that time, I’d given up the disgraceful response, so I waited and went to the Big Bash Final to see for myself. I’m a traditionalist, so I loved the cricket but wasn’t so keen on the razzamatazz after the first hour or so.

What I did love, though, was the new stand and I still loved my old Adelaide Oval. In footy season, I’d been lucky enough to run water for the Bloods on that wonderful turf on so many occasions. I did that on all the SANFL grounds, but the Adelaide Oval was the only one where I replaced the divots. I’d have a kick before the Reserves game with some of the players. They were thinking of the match ahead; I was thinking how lucky I was.

And so to now.

More than most, I know why some people want to vote ‘No’. That’s their right, even if I disagree with them, but they’re only thinking what I thought for years.

The world has changed and the Adelaide Oval has changed with it.

It always will and in my opinion, it’s the better for all the changes. I’m hoping change will happen and if it does, I’m looking forward to that same feeling of anticipation as I had when I walked up past the old City Baths all those years ago. Those Baths aren’t there now. There’s a Festival Theatre where they used to be.

I’m also hoping there’ll be a footbridge directly to the Oval as well. I could have done with it all those years ago.


Sun Apr 10, 2011 2:09 pm

Did anybody line up with the masses on Sunday to grab a piece of the Adelaide Oval Turf they were giving away?

Somebody told me today it was bedlam, for the 6 pallets of turf on offer.

Updating... One question, are they widening the oval?

Yes they are FB.

It was widened on the western side when the new stand was built.
It is being widened on the eastern side now to provide a more elliptical shape.
The ground pushes out about 24m on the eastern side to accommodate the widened playing surface and the new stand.

Work to commence the main oval playing surface starts this month I believe.
Work on #2 ground commenced last month and is in full swing at the moment.

The ground is now its proper shape, excepting that a portion of the eastern side of the ground is still under construction for the stand / public area.

However, the wicket area is about to commence with the footings for the drop in wicket trays. Progress will be interesting given the wet weather we have had lately that could potentially delay some of this.

It seems that the oval will be flat with just a slightly raised wicket area. The soccer boffins will be pleased with that.

Remember that that the ground work needs to be finished and ready for the Cricket Test Match in December. Hmm......lots still to do!

The oval will cater to both Rugby codes, soccer (to FIFA specs!) and Gaelic Footy as well as AFL and Cricket.

This was probably already known, however, the goal post holes are now being installed in readiness for all of that.

The ground dimensions for AFL will be 167m x 124.5m.
Compare to other AFL grounds;
MCG 160 x 141
Etihad 159.5 x 129
AAMI 165 x 135

Something I learnt yesterday - Rugby League goals are 5.5m apart and Rugby Union goals are 5.6m apart. Why would you? These 2 codes just can't meet in the middle on anything.

The wet weather is causing chaos to the program to get the playing surface ready in time for the Ashes Test.

The wicket trays are going in (yesterday and today).

It will look very odd for a few weeks as an oasis of lawn in the middle being surrounded by sand and construction.

The grandstand construction still looks a long way off being finished. I would imagine the large cranes will still be around when the Ashes Test is on.

Lots of people buzzing around Adelaide Oval today for the first day of actual competition on the new surface. Might just go and have a look myself later.

Had a really good mooch around today to see all the new work.

The northern mound came in for some heavy deliberation on the design front, with the work requiring maintenance of the Morton Bay Figs trees. The deck around the back of the trees is very impressive in how it blends with the overhanging branches.

I can say that the branches were completely mapped so the deck design could avoid them as much as possible. There has been some subtle branch trimming for this and some older trimming is evident too. But I think it works very well and you can now get up close and personal with these majestic trees.

I think only 1 of these trees was removed to the east of the scoreboard where the new eastern stand commences.

Interesting treatment around the back of the old historic scoreboard with bracing onto a higher level toilet block. There were difficulties in any proposal to mess around with the scoreboard understructure, which could have done damage to it. So they have left it largely intact as much as possible.

The large cranes will disappear early next year when the full oval area will then be available. The playing surface has been shortened on the eastern side whilst this crane is still in use. That will add another 5m to the oval width for football. Similarly on the southern end too.

Small issue in the SW corner where the perimeter fence rises out of the ground by half a metre. You can see it poking up above the current hoardings erected around the ground at grass level. My understand is that this will be corrected for the start of footy. We can't have the players running into a concrete wall.

The parklands are slowly being resumed, with the northern section lawn being reinstated ahead of the remaining area to the north and east of the oval.

Interesting to note they put up the car park full sign today at 10am, half an hour before play commenced. The hill was nowhere near full, so I don't know what the idea of that was. A bit premature I think. Hopefully they will open the full northern mound area for the test match.

There were plenty of yellow shirts sitting around watching the game today. I guess many of them probably couldn't do the job they were there to do due to noise factors. Those that were working did present a background buzz to proceedings.

Good on SACA / SMA for providing 4 days of free "look see" for the SA public. Plenty of people around taking photos and videos (including me) for the posterity file.

I wasn't much of a proponent of change for this new Adelaide Oval, but it is growing on me and I think it is the best compromise possible between the picturesque ambience it has always had and providing a modern complex capable of holding 50,000 for major sporting events. Probably having had a fair bit of work there over the last 3 years has a bit to do with that view too.  

I would urge you all to go have a look first hand if you can squeeze it in tomorrow.

Chambo Off To Work We Go wrote:The oval will cater to both Rugby codes, soccer (to FIFA specs!) and Gaelic Footy as well as AFL and Cricket.

This was probably already known, however, the goal post holes are now being installed in readiness for all of that.

The ground dimensions for AFL will be 167m x 124.5m.
Compare to other AFL grounds;
MCG 160 x 141
Etihad 159.5 x 129
AAMI 165 x 135

Something I learnt yesterday - Rugby League goals are 5.5m apart and Rugby Union goals are 5.6m apart. Why would you? These 2 codes just can't meet in the middle on anything.

The wet weather is causing chaos to the program to get the playing surface ready in time for the Ashes Test.

Long and direct will be the best option at this ground I reckon.

However, observing the TV broadcast today the thing of note when you look at those towering grandstands is the fact that the only linkage the oval now has to bygone days is the 1911 Scoreboard which happily still shows the teams and scores in the age old tradition. and of course those majestic Moreton Bay Fig Trees.

I am interested to hear subscribers views on the decking that wraps around these trees if you saw it today. You can now get an "up close and personal" experience with these old ladies of the forest now. Whilst it was necessary to lop a few branches, gold star to the designers who have made them even more relevant for this sort if interraction, if that was possible.

For anyone who went today, what didn't work? Interested to know how it panned out from a logistical point of view.